Ethnozoological study of medicinal animals and animals’ products used by traditional medicinal practitioners and indigenous people in Motta city administration and Hulet Eju Enessie District, East Gojjam, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: In Ethiopia, many ethnic communities use traditional/indigenous medicine for primary health care. However, this indigenous medicinal practice is being neglected and continued to be lost due to poor documentation as they are transferred from generation to generation through oral tradition. Therefore, this ethnozoological study aimed to assess and document the medicinal use of animals and animals' products used by traditional medicinal practitioners and indigenous people in Motta city administration and Hulet Eju Enessie Districts, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia. Methods: Cross-sectional ethnozoological survey was conducted using a Semi-structured questionnaire among purposively selected respondents in Motta city administration and Hulet Eju Enessie District, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia from September 2020 to June 2021 GC. The ethnozoological data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and Microsoft Excell Spreadsheet. Fidelity level, use-value, and informant consensus factor were determined. Results: A total of 25 animal species were reported to be used for the treatment of different ailments by 33 informants. The majority of animals (64%) were mammals followed by birds (16%). The fidelity level ranged from 18.2 (Hyena for bad spirit) to 100% (stingless be for asthma, Tiger for rabies virus, Whisper for nightmare). Conclusion: This study showed the wide use of medicinal animals and their parts/products for meeting the primary healthcare needs of the community in the study area. Therefore, this ethnozoological medicinal knowledge needs to be integrated with modern medicine to use animals/animals' products as a potential source of effective drugs for different ailments.

An ethnozoological study of traditional medicinal animals and their products from Wolaita, Southern Ethiopia

“…The majority of participants were male (62.5% of the total), with 37.5% being female. Previous studies have reported a similar pattern in other parts of Ethiopia [ 7 , 20 ]. This is because, when aging, local doctors, specialists, and practitioners transfer their ethnomedicinal and magico-religious knowledge as an inheritance to their male sons or other close relatives.…”

“…Participants over the age of 55 made up a sizable proportion of the sample (94%) and were primarily involved in the use of ethnomedicine. Previous studies revealed a similar pattern in Ethiopia [ 7 , 20 ], demonstrating that older respondents had better expertise and understanding about ethnomedicine. There may be a variety of factors that increase knowledge with age; therefore, they should all be carefully considered.…”

“…Local communities have been known to use thirty-nine animal species for treating more than 50 different human illnesses, including cancer, colds, asthma, anemia, heart disease, HIV, bacterial infections, lymphadenopathy, hypersomnia, slipped discs, bone fractures, breast pain, ear pain, fever (malaria), gastritis, malaise, paralysis, pleurisy, pneumonia, rheumatism, sciatica, skin disease, stomach pain, stunting, teeth pain, toxin, typhoid fever, and others. Similar to this, in other parts of the country, local people used many animal species for human and livestock illnesses: in the southern region [ 8 , 18 ]; the northern region [ 16 ]; and the northwestern region [ 7 , 20 ]. There are similarities and cross-cultural links among ethnic tribes in the world generally and different regions of the country particularly.…”

“…Most of the informants were illiterate (52%) and the least had an elementary level of schooling (48%), as observed in other parts of the country [ 20 ]. The significant level of illiteracy was caused by the terrible socioeconomic conditions, restricted access to learning institutions, and the fact that the majority chose traditional farming practices as a livelihood-sustaining activity.…”

“…The current study sought to describe animal use in folk medicine in the Diguna Fango District of Wolaita, Ethiopia, using an ethnozoological approach as part of a larger study project to document how animals are used by Ethiopian local people [ 7 , 8 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ].…”